FC United 0 Nantwich Town 0

8:14pm Monday 13th April 2009

By Liam Chronnell

FC United’s play-off hopes remain on a knife-edge after a goalless draw with promotion rivals Nantwich Town.

Three times the Rebels hit the woodwork but they could not break the deadlock in a pulsating UniBond Premier League clash at Gigg Lane.

Nicky Platt thought he had opened the scoring in the first half but his thunderbolt shaved the upright.

The midfielder also saw his 25-yard effort come back off the crossbar three minutes after the restart, while substitute Jamie Baguley’s deflected free kick also rattled the woodwork in the final minute.

United felt they should have had two penalties, but it was not all one-way traffic and Town’s Andy Kinsey saw his 71st-minute header cleared off the line.

Radcliffe Borough sealed mathematical safety in the UniBond Division One North with their second successive victory – a 1-0 home win against mid-table Mossley.

Boro made the breakthrough in the 62nd minute. Two minutes after coming off the bench, Tom Brooks struck when he followed up Mark Drew’s speculative shot which bounced back off the keeper, and prodded home.

The game drifted back into stalemate and Boro saw through the victory which gave them a vital three points.

Mossley’s bad day got worse when they had a man sent off for dissent five minutes from time. But it was a different story for Boro who have bounced back in style after taking just one point in 12 by taking six out of the last six.